Adele cd...bad mix/recording

One possibility to keep in mind is the CD may be mixed exactly the way that promising young artist wished it. Audiophiles and musicians don't always view things from the same perspective. A lot of new artists - particularly in the pop/rock field - want their CDs loud and hot. It is not just the producers or record companies.

Unfortunately, with the primary listening venues being cars and I-Pods these days, it is pretty easy to forget about the people who listen in front of a nice rig.

I agree...the cd is recorded somewhat hot and bright, at high or loud passages her vocals/instruments, start to sound distorted. It's a shame cause she is a great singer. If they mastered the cd recording better, it would showcase her talents more appropriately.

This seems to be the new norm for recording pop and rock music. There are similar responses regarding Bruce Springsteen's "Magic" and some really scathing reviews regarding Metallica's "Death Magnetic" to name just two. Many say that they are unlistenable because of the distortion. I don't know if it's the artists fault, but it is something every artist should be paying attention to, since it is their work. Recording studios are moving toward using compression and loss of dynamic range as a tool to get people to listen, lIke loud will get our attention. Seems like the tactics employed by television when airing their commercials.

We are all pissing in the wind, barking up the wrong tree, singing to the deaf. No one cares or gives a hoot about audiophiles and recording purity, we are just an insignificant blip or a grain of sand in a desert in the great scheme of things.
I checked it out on youtube, sounds like it is catering for how 99.999999% of the population will listen to it.